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Is Not The Whole Land Before Thee |
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Text Verse:
Gen 13:9
(Genesis 13:9) "Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." We have here the tale of two fathers. Abraham and Lot were both saved men. Both of these men were enjoying great wealth and blessings. However, things, wealth and money do not solve your problems. The Bible says that there was a strife between their herdsmen. And then I believe then there was what turned out to be a great and revealing question, Is not the whole land in front of us, which lead to some decisions. Today life is full of
decisions. Some decisions made are right, while some are not. I believe
that we can see several things from these two fathers. The ways they
conducted their lives, raised families and received results were in
stark contrast. They lead us to ask ourselves four questions. 1. WHERE AM I LOOKING? (Genesis 13:6-13) "And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. {7} And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. {8} And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. {9} Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. {10} And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. {11} Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. {12} Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. {13} But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."
1. Looking at wrong things will result in wrong desires. 2. Wrong desires will bring about wrong priorities. 3. Wrong priorities will bring about wrong actions. 4. Wrong actions result in loss. B. The cause of lots bad decision can be summarized with these three statements.
2. Selfish ambitions 3. Selfish aspirations
D. Abraham looked where God told him to look. 13:14-15 (Genesis 13:14-15) "And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: {15} For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." Illustration: The song writer words should be our actions: Where He leads I'll follow, follow all the way, Where He leads I'll follow, Follow Jesus every day. 2. WHERE AM I
LIVING? (Genesis 19:1) "And
there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of
Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed
himself with his face toward the ground;"
A. Lot lived in the city of Sodom, in the middle of wickedness. 1. Notice the progress, He moved from looking at, to leaning toward to living in, loving and lingering in Sodom. 2. The same is true today, the things or individual that you focus on the most will be your dwelling place. B. Abraham was living in the land God had promised him. 1. We would be far better with nothing or no one in the place where God want's us than to have everything imaginable where God did not send us. 3. WHERE AM
I LEADING?
A. When it was time to leave Sodom at God's command, Lot could not lead his family the way he should have been able. 1. His daughters and sons in laws rejected his warning, and mocked him. (Genesis 19:14) "And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law." Illustration: You mean so and so goes
to church. You have got to be kidding.
2. His wife turned around in disobedience and was judged. 19:17, 26 (Genesis 19:17) "And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." (Genesis 19:26) "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
(Genesis 22:6-14) "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. {7} And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? {8} And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. {9} And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. {10} And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. {11} And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. {12} And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. {13} And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. {14} And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." 4. WHAT IS MY
LEGACY?
(Genesis 19:32-34)
"Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him,
that we may preserve seed of our father. {33} And they made their
father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with
her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
{34} And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto
the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him
drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him,
that we may preserve seed of our father."
B. Abraham's legacy was a son who respected and loved his father, and followed God. Close:
The decisions that you make are very important. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Have you chose to accept Christ as your personal Saviour? If not why not trust Christ today. Have you chose to give the Lord full control over you will and life? If not why not allow the Lord full access today. |
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